Liquid filling valve



Sept. 22, 1953 L. MCGlHoN 2,652,965

LIQUID FILLING VALVE Filed Feb. 20, 1948 Patented Sept. 22, -1953 LIQUID FILLING VALVE Leonard McGihon, -San Leandro, Calif., assignor to King Sales & Engineering Co., San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 20, 1948, Serial No. 66,240

a claims. l

The present invention relates to filling machines and valves therefor, and is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved valve construction which is useful in handling both heavy and light liquid materials to ll measured amounts into containers or to ll containers to a desired head space. Filling machines and valves of the general character disclosed herein are disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 24,525, filed May 1, 1948, for Filling Machine and Valve Therefor, to which reference is made for portions of the lling machine not specifically disclosed herein.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectiona1 view through a filling valve embodying the instant invention as installed in the tank of a filling machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing the valve in partially operated condition wherein a vacuum or other source of air pressure is connected to the interior of a can engaged with the valve.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but taken at right angles thereto and showing the valve in open position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 5 5 in Figure 4.

Figure `6 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Figure 3 but showing the valve as assembled for head space illling operation.

Valves of the type disclosed and claimed herein are generally used as rotary type filling machines wherein a plurality of lling valves are mounted about the periphery of a lling tank and with respect to which the cans are brought into operative relation by means of can lifters. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a filling valve I0 mounted on a filling bowl or tank II and with respect to which a can I2 is shown in operative relation on a can lifter I5. The details of construction of the filling machine, the bowl and the can lifter are shown in said copending application.

The lling valve includes a cylinder structure including various cooperating parts later described, which cooperate to dei-lne the total volume of the measuring chamber, and a piston and valve structure which operates within the cylinder structure to control the operation of the Valve in opening and closing as well as the vacuumizing and lling of the can. 'I'he cylinder structure includes a body I6 of annular shape which is provided with an upper portion I6a of reduced diameter seating within an aperture in the bottom plate I7 of the bowl and being secured withv respect to the bowl by a support ring I8 within the bowl and four cap screws I9 (Figures l and 4) extending through the ring I8, the bowl II and its bottom plate Il, and threaded into the valve body I6. The body I6 has a lower tubular extension Ilib about which a sleeve 2| is slidably mounted. The sleevel 2l is urged downwardly by a spring 22 so that the lower or valve seat end of the sleeve 2l engages the valve portion 23a of the piston and valve structure or valve member 23.

Above the valve portion 23a the valve member 23 has a por-tion of reduced diameter 23b which is spaced from the inner periphery of the tubular extension Ib of the valve body to provide a measuring chamber 24. Above the portion 23h of reduced diameter, the valve member 23 is provided with a piston portion 23e which is preferably lap-tted for relatively sliding movement within the valve body I 6. Above the piston portion 23e the valve member 23 has an upper reduced portion 23d and this portion 23d (Figure 3) is provided with opposite flat sides 23e (Figure 4) for engagement by a recessed guide and stop plate 26 which is secured by cap screws 21 onto the valve body I5. A spring 28 is compressed between the plate 26 and a ring 29 (Figure l) seated in the extension 23]c of the valve structure.

Above the valve and piston portion 23, there is provided an adjustable measuring chamber 3I whose base plate 32 is threaded into the upper end of the valve member 23 and which is open to the atmosphere through a capped pipe extension 33 at its upper end.

At the lower end of the valve, and adjustably threaded onto the valve sleeve 2|, there isprovided a lift collar 34 secured in place by a locknut 36 and having mounted therein a rubber seal ring 31 of conventional construction for engagement by the can I2.

The piston and valve structure of the filling valve are provided with respective passage means providing for filling of liquid from the bowl into the valve and into the measuring chamber therein to provide for communication of this measuring chamber with the atmosphere and also to provide for connection of the interior of a can engaged with the valve to a source of vacuum or to a source of air'under pressure when required in the Iilling operation,

The passage means for filling of the valve with liquid are formed as opposite external grooves 4I (Figures 3 and 5) in the piston portion 23e of the tion of the valve which extends from the lowerl end thereof but stops short of the upper endand.

communicates with an internal passageway 43 leading to the measuringk chamber 3|2.

chamber 3l and a portion of the pipe 33, up to the liquid level of the bowl cooperatef tozform the=y actual measured capacity of the filling valve for depositing a measured charge of liquid into a can.

Ihepassage meansafor. placing a can in communicationzwith a source-.of vacuum or air under pressure comprises a lower central passage 442 i'nthe valve4 member which hasa lateral branch 44a at-itsLupper. end. adapted inl a partially lifted pos-itionpf the. valve to register witha transverse passage 46. in theevalvebcdy having a tting 4T securedrthereirr. by. means of which this passagewayncanilead toasource of vacuum or asource ofi air: underv pressure during; rotation of the llingfbowl: asY disclosed; in; said copending application. In1 the raisedpposition of the valve mem.- ber the passages 44a and 46 remain in communi` cationsothatv the,v` shut-offv of the vacuum. is: controlled ata1 remote point by: the construction l shownfin said copendingl application. To insure vacuumizing.; of the container without interferencev from. thecontents therein,` the lower face of. the. valver is recessedcross-shaped; at 48;

Thefoperation of the valve is as'follows; With thefvalve. positioned as shown in Figure; l, the spring 22. is extendedso that the'valve-2-3a is engaged. with; itsl seat and the annularshoulder. at theupperend-of. the piston portion 23efis;spaced belowxthe `stcpwplate2 6 so. that the-llingpassages 4f|- areopenI at' both ends and. the measuring chamber isin. communication. with the.- liquidi in the bowlsl and liquid will flow into thefvalveand will-.rise throughv the passage` 4| and thepassage 43 into.themeasuring chamber 3l and/upfinto thepipe 33. to; the level of liquidin the bowl. When-a` can is, engaged-with the-lift collar. 34, as shown in Eigure 2,. and apartial liftingof.- the valve is effected, thel valvemembert 23. rises` with the. sleeve 2l under the influencefof. the.- spring 28 so that the passages 44A and. 44a, are in cornmunication :with .the passag.e.46.so thai-the -source of. Vacuum is connected throughthevalve body andthe .piston-structure to the can.. In-thispo sitiontheshoulder at the end ofthepistonpor.- tion. 23e is still spaced slightly below.- the stop plate 26 and during this operationa. portion of the :liquidrwithin .the measuringchamber has been forced back intothebowl. Further lifting move? Inentfof` the can under control. of its conventional liftcam,.as,disclosedin said application, moves the liftcollar 3.4 tothe positionshownin Figure 3 andthe sle.eve..2l has been liftedaway from the valveportion 23.. after engagement. of.. the. upper endofthe pistonportion 2.3.withthe stop plate 26, that. is, after. the upper ends of the passages or grooves 4I have been closed by, thestop plate 26... As. this .closing takes. place the valveisopened at the.. bottom so. that themeasured amount of liquid. contained .inthe chamberI 24, the passages 'Fliese'- passages 42 and 43, together-with the measuring` 4 4|, 42 and 43, as well as the measuring chamber 3l and the tube 33, ows through the valve and into the can under atmospheric pressure as determined by the amount of vacuum placed in the can itself.

To use the valve to ll to the head space rather than to fill a definite measured amount of liquid, the' stop platel is invertedli'naassembly so that they recess 26a thereinw faces downwardly and does not close the upper ends of the passages 4l in'f the position of the valve shown in Figure 3. As aresult the valve is never empty and the source of liquid to the can is always at the bottom of the vali/le.- Th'e escape of air from the can is throughy the centerpassage in the valve and the vacuum system: or; if desired, it may be provided to. atmosphere through suitable means.

While I have shown certain preferred embodimentsoff' the invention, it Will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modiflcaticrr. from. the. form shownso that. its scope should beflimited only by the scopeof thefclaim'sv appended hereto.

If claim:

11.. In a filling' valve, a cylinder structure' n'or.- mally; open foradmissionofy liquid at its` upper end; andhaving a: valve seat at its lowenend, a valve'and piston structuresin-saidcylinder structure defining: a chamber; therewith andihaving a valve. at its; lcmfer;` end? for.` cooperation. with saidw valve.v seat, saidf valve. and pistonl structure: in'- cludingg an intermediate: piston` portion having a sliding nt. within the cylinder` structure and an upper portion of reduced sizefprojecting. be-

ycnzl, said cylinder structure; anexternal.v longitud inal groove :extending from'- end to fend i of said iston portionandforming a liquid-passage; stop means for. said=valve and pistonY structurepositioned. to.` close. said groove in` the raised. position of. said valveand'spiston.stnucture, a second external groove, insaid piston portion extending from the lower end thereof andendingashortof thefupper end thereof, and.V ann internali passage in saidupper. projectingportion andcommuni.- cating with said second groove, said. second. ex.- ternall groove and said` internalpassage forming an air passage..

2. In. af filling, valve.a.y cylinder structure. normally openfor. admissionof! liquid= at. its=upper endgand. having a..valve.seat at. its lower` end, a valveandpistbn. structure in saidcylinder; struc.- ture defining a chamber, therewithandhaving a valveatits lower. end. for, cooperationwith .said valve seat, saidvalye and'pistonstructure includ.- ing an. intermediate piston portionhavinga .sliding fltwithin.thecylndenstructureandan upper portion of` reduced. size projecting. beyondv said cylinder structure. an. external. longitudinal groove, extending from. end ..to. end?. of l said. piston portionand, fr'lrrningA aA liquidpassageand; a re.- cessedstopplateat the top.of 'said cylinder.. struc.- ture. having nonf'rotative slidingengagernent with said' upper. portion. and positioned' for engage.- mentby, said piston. portion.

3. In a filling valve, a cylinder structure normally o pen for. admissionof liquid at.. its upper end andl having avalve seat atit's. lowerA` end'..a valve. and pistonstructure in said cylinder. strucf ture defining.Y a. chambertherewith and having avalve at'it's lower endj'or cooperation with said valve seatsaidvalve and' piston structure including an intermediate pistonportion havinga sliding't within the cylinder structureand' an upperV portion of reduced. size proj ectingr beyond said cylinder` structure, an externallongitudinal 5 groove extending from end to end of said piston portion and forming a liquid passage, a second external groove in said piston portion extending from the lower end thereof and ending short of the upper end thereof, and an internal passage in said upper projecting portion and communieating with said second groove, said second external groove and said internal passage forming an air passage.

LEONARD MCGIHON.

References Cited in the le of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fowler Feb. 18, 1896 Newland July 5, 1910 Newland Aug. 29, 1911 McGhee et al. May 29, 1923 Ransom et al Sept. 14, 1937 

